


And the Questions I Have For a Sinner Like Me

by The_Shy_One



Category: Batman (Comics), Green Lantern (Comics)
Genre: Autistic Bruce Wayne, Autistic Charcteristics, Confessions, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, M/M, One Shot, autistic spectrum, hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:54:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27571864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Shy_One/pseuds/The_Shy_One
Summary: Hal has something on his mind about Bruce. So he goes to ask the man himself since who would know the answer other than Bruce?
Relationships: Hal Jordan/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 6
Kudos: 103





	And the Questions I Have For a Sinner Like Me

Hal wondered sometimes about Bruce’s thought process. It always felt like it skipped a couple of steps ahead, going a million miles faster than Hal’s, always chugging along that pace seemingly for no other reason than it just did. Even with the rare explanation from the man himself of how Bruce got to the conclusion the way he did, Hal still struggled to keep up. He wanted to know what made the other man’s mind just do what it naturally did.

Hal wanted to understand what made Bruce, well, Bruce. 

So, he goes to the Batcave to ask. Can’t hurt to ask since Bruce was willing to answer most anything if you came at him with curiosity - genuine curiosity rather than the faked enthusiastic curiosity that Hal learned when his father dragged him to the base, listening to all the same stories and antidotes over and over again from the same older men his father was friends with. Better to fake the laughter and curiosity than being accused of being a rude brat by men who were seen as heroes. The point is that Bruce responded to you the same way you responded to him. 

It was freaky in a sense like he was just copying what you were doing rather than responding with what he really felt. But there were cracks in the mirroring, just more subtle than most bothered to look for. 

So, Hal goes to ask one night, curious and wanting to know about the man. He enters the cave, sees Bruce in front of the computer, looking over a file for one of his current cases. Something to do with the Riddler if the amount of question marks in the picture if Hal were forced to guess on that alone.

He floats over the giant computer and peers over Bruce’s shoulder. “Spooky, I’ve been wondering something.” Hal starts. Bruce grunts in reply, his way of saying continue. So, Hal does. “What’s up with your thought process? I can’t figure out what it is.”

“Why does that concern you?” Bruce says, tone neutral and careful as he continues to stare at the computer screen. Likely keeping himself from rudely snapping at Hal despite knowing the man was asking sincerely. 

Hal shrugs. “Curious is all. Can’t figure out what it is on my own, so figured I should ask you.”

“Why would I tell you?” The tone was still being controlled, but Hal could hear the slightest bit of hesitation. The kind that came from a person trying to figure out what the other person’s game was when they were being nosy. 

Bruce was looking back at Hal now, staring him down like he was desperately looking for any physical signs of deception as well. Hal would be more concerned if wasn’t used to it by the other Green Lanterns on Oa. Aliens didn’t like humans for one reason or another.

Usually had to do with intelligence since humans were seen as a backwater species on every front when it comes to civilization. Frustrating on many accounts, but he couldn’t fault them for thinking that when most of Earth couldn’t agree on a single thing that would strive them towards a better tomorrow.

“Don’t have to if you don’t want to. Just figured you would be more likely to tell me if I asked you sincerely. You tend to be more honest if the person asking is honest.” Hal said.

Bruce blinks like he’s surprised Hal picked up on that. “You noticed my mirroring?” He asks hesitantly, hunching his shoulders slightly.

“Hard to ignore if it gets me talking to you without an argument.”

That earns him a small smile. A victory in itself. “Come on Bruce, I won’t spill your secret if that’s what has you worried. I just wanna know since I can’t ever figure out how you make the leaps that you do.”

“People treat me differently when they find out,” Was all Bruce said in reply. His eyes flickered down, hands clasping tightly together.

“Spooky, whatever it is, I’m not going to treat you differently. You’ll still be you, I’ll just have an answer for my query.” Hal said gently. He didn’t place a hand on Bruce’s shoulder or try to do anything beyond the reassurance. Bruce didn’t trust anything beyond what he could assess in his mind and Hal was no exception to that. 

Silence stretches between them. Hal waits. Then Bruce looks up, face neutral. But his eyes. His beautiful blue eyes held determination in them, taking Hal’s breath at that moment. Bruce was always handsome, unnervingly so at times.

But seeing something like that up close made Hal be reminded of his small - very _small_ \- crush on Bruce. 

“You sure you want an answer?”

“Yes, Spooky.”

“Fine. I’m on the autistic spectrum. My brain is wired differently from yours and was always like that since I was born. That’s why it seems like my thought process is quicker than yours.” No boasting, just an observation on Bruce’s part. 

“Huh,” Was all Hal could say. It explained a few more of Bruce’s odder quirks. But then again, it really didn’t change how he saw Bruce either. “Alright, consider me satisfied with my query.”

Bruce stares at him a moment longer. Then nods as if satisfied with Hal’s underwhelmed reaction. “If that’s all you wanted to know Lantern-“

“Well, I do have one more thing to say,” Hal says, cutting Bruce off.

“What?”

“Go on a date with me.”

A head tilt. “What brought this on?”

“You’re handsome and sometimes a man can only handle so much unintentional beauty before he has to admit he has a crush,” Hal said, smiling. “Come on, I can‘t be that bad I would be horrible to consider for a date.”

“I’ve heard the more unflattering things of what you’ve done to Carol when you two were dating.” Yeah, Hal has to wince at that. Not his finest moments even if he knows that there was more to him and Carol’s relationship. 

“I can promise to try and not do similar things when we’re together?” He offers up as a way to sway Bruce. 

Bruce snorts, smiling a bit. “I’ll settle for a date to see if that’s true.”

“Send me the details and I’ll be there.” This is where Hal bends down and presses a kiss to Bruce’s forehead, soft and gentle. “Thanks for telling me, Spooky.”

Bruce stares at him for a moment, frozen. Then he moves a hand over Hal’s cheek, fingers skimming over skin. It settles to cup his face, cradling him like he was going to turn to dust at a moment's notice. “It’s no problem, Hal.”

Hal smiles, hand coming over to cover Bruce’s. They stay like this, quietly looking at each other for a few minutes. Then without a word, Hal lifts Bruce’s hand and presses a kiss to the man’s palm. 

Bruce scrunches his face and it causes Hal to laugh softly. “Okay, not a fan of that.”

“Feels strange.”

“Yeah, I can imagine. Text me the dinner details?”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

And with that Hal leaves the Batcave, feeling lighter than when he was weighted by his question. 

**Author's Note:**

> Was feeling the urge to write some 'Bruce is autistic' headcanon late at night and this was the end result. The title is taken from a Florence + the Machine song since it fits quite well with this little fic.
> 
> Anyway, hopefully, it was a fun one shot to read! :D


End file.
